Laminarform for use with electro-stylus



Mw 2, 1%? J. GREENSPAN 3,3%,660

LAMINARFORM FOR USE WITH ELECTRO-STYLUS Filed Oct. l2, 1965 4 f Lm @Ms14 mies per gallon O+" -QL' 210 mles qasolmfs. Now mam; mlGS dws /5/"\he go on 1S gallons? 211. males {GAI/l5 l I /z' l I I 219 v/mes 3 /5`-Zl @ffl H J/ /il v r y 1 40 /5/2/ INVENTOR. gi-G., d

United States Patent Office 3,316,660 Patented May 2, 1967 3,316,660LAMINARFORM FOR USE WITH ELECTRO-STYLUS Joseph Greenspan, 1120Queensland St., Los Angeles, Calif. 99634 Filed Get. 12, 1965, Ser. No.495,221 9 Claims. (Cl. 315-9) This invention relates -toself-examination devices of the type wherein an electrically operableprobe is intelligently applied to areas of like appearance and ofpredetermined conductive and/or non-conductive capability. Particularly,this invention is concerned With improvements in such a device and withimprovements of such magnitude that such a device becomes feasible forpractical applications.

The art relating to this invention is redundant with ways and means t-oaccomplish the obviously desired end result. However, despite previousattempts to produce such devices on a commercial basis there have beenrepeated failures, and in this respect reference is made lto thecumbersome board like structures of the prior art and t-o the use of socalled selective electroconductive and non-conductive inks. The firstmentioned example of Iboard like structures is eliminated from utilityin considering the present invention because they are not condusive tothe assembly and normal handling of books and pamphlets and pages, whichis the objective of this invention. The second -mentioned example ofsele-ctive electro conductive and non-conductive inks has `been tried bythe industry involved, and is now discarded `because such inksimpregnated with conductive materials could not be applied successivelywith predictable characteristics. l

As above indicated, it is a primary object of this invention to providepredetermined Vareas of identical appearance, some of which areelectrically conductive `and some non-conductive, in printed matteradapted to be used as papers and/or pages of books and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide papers and/ or pages of.the character referred to wherein like openings are formed in the paperor page so as t-o visably expose a film of electrically conductivematerial, predetermined areas ofthe lm being non-conductive.

It is still another object of this invention to provide laminarformpaper or pages as hereinabove referred to and which can present printedmatter at both sides and each side of which exposes identically apparentareas of predetermined electrical conductivity.

The various objects and features of this invention will lbe fullyunderstood from the following detailed desecription of the typicalpreferred form and application thereof, throughout which -descriptionreference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

IFIG. 1 is a perspective view of a book employing the laminarform pages.

PIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the top portion of a typical laminarformpage as employed in a book as shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged detailed sectional views taken substantiallyas indicated by lines 3 3 and 4 4 on FIG. 2.

In accordance with the presen-t invention resort is made to alaminarform structure, whereby predetermined areas of conductive and/ornon-conductive material are exposed so as to be identical in appearance.The invention is particularly adapted to be embodied in the printing ofpages and papers, in the manner that pages and papers are ordinarilyprinted. That is, the use of relatively thin flexible paper is to bemade, and because of the lamin-arform employed it is feasible tominimize the several paper thickn-esses. Paper is specified herein asthe preferred material, being the usual paper employed in printing, yandbecause it is a good insulator in itself. However, substitutes for papercan be made as circumstances require.

The laminarform involves, in its basic form, at least two layers ofmaterial upon which selectively placed and discriminately shapeddeposits have been applied. The first or top layer is substantial anddurable while the second or underlying layer is not necessarily assubstantial and consequently not as durable; and therefore thelaminarforrn involves, in its preferred form, three layers of material,the first and second as hereinabove set forth and third layercorresponding to the first mentioned layer but placed at the opposite orunderlying side of the laminarform, Thus, the said laminarform is twosided, being -comprised of two like layers of durable paper with anintermediate layer of electrically conductive material. In practice, allthree layers are coextensive one with the other, and as is illustratedthe laminarform involves generally, top and bottom lamina A and A' andan intermediate lamina B.

The la'minae A and A are essentially alike or identical and each is asheet of minimal thickness, taking into account that they are to becombined so as to afford the strength of the two sheets. Each sheet 10has an outer face 11 adapted to receive indicia :and printed information12, and an inner face 13 adapted to be wetted with an adhesive. IForexample, the indicia 12 can be a statement of facts followed by aquestion, as is shown. In accordance with the invention, the sheet 10 isperforated at 1S so as to provide an opening therethrough of substantialarea. For example, the indicia 12 may or may not require treatment ofthe area represented 'by the perforation 15, and as is shown mightrequire the intelligent consideration of a multiplicity of answers as isevidenced 'by indicia 16 at each of said openings. In any case, theintelligent recognition of the indicia 12 requires treatment of one (orperhaps more) of the areas represented by the .perfo-rations 15. Theindicia 12 and-16 are preferably printed matter that are reproducible inlarge quantities of paper sheets 10.

The intermediate lamina B is essentially a film of conductive materialsuch as aluminum foil 20 and which is a good electrical conductor. Thesaid foil 20 is mechanically Weak and tends to be soft, but isreinforced when laminated with the laminae A and A. Such foil isselected for its bright appearance, and for its tendency to remainuniform in appearance. In accordance with the invention the electricallyconductive foil 20 is covered in predetermined areas only, with atransparent dielectric coating 21, the coating 21 being placed so as toregister coextensively beneath certain perforations 15. For example, thecoating 21 completely avoids one of said perforations 15 whichrepresents the correct answer to the indicia 12. In practice, asatisfactory coating 21 is clear lacquer which can be convenientlydeposited upon the lamina B within discriminate areas as by means ofsilk-screen processes. The lacquer coating is substantially colorlessand presents a visible surface which is of the same smoothness andtexture as that of the surrounding and underlying foil surface, all tothe end that the presence of the superimposed lacquer coating 21 is notdiscernable.

In practicing the present invention, the laminae A, A and B are eachfabricated as above described and laminated to form a single element. Asis shown, there are one or more openings (perforations) 15 in eachlamina to be viewed and in this instance both top and bottom sides. Itis a simple matter to offset the openings at the opposite sides of thelaminarform structure, thereby providing backing for the element B. Thatis, the hardness of the opposite sheets presents a backing at oppositeopenings. In view of the above, the two or three elements A-B, as thecase may be, are of course rotatably oriented and printed and/or coatedin register with each other, and they are then adhered together in saidrigid engagement. Any suitable adhesive (not shown) is applied to theinner faces 13 of the elements A and A whereupon the elements A-B arebrought together and bonded to each other. Thus, the lamina B is exposedthrough the various perforations 15 and only the uncoated areas areconductive, while all of said areas appear identical in appearance.

The instrument for detecting conductive as distinguished fromnon-conductive areas is an elongate battery 30 operated light 31 havingprojecting contacts 32 for intelligent selective engagement with theconductive foil of the lamina B. It is a simple matter to establishcontinuity with the circuit shown, by touching the contacts to theconductive surface Where it has not been dielectrified by theapplication of the transparent coating.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a normally flexible laminarformpaper or page is provided and wherein both sides thereof are equallyutilitarian. Rather than resort to conductive inks and the morecumbersome switching structures, resort is made to a conductiveintermediate foil which is exposed at suitable areas, some of which aremade non-conductive by the application of a superimposed transparentinsulator. The insulator does not alter the color or texture of theotherwise bright metallic surface of the foil, and to the end that aperson viewing the same is not influenced in his choice of an area, andhe must therefore rely entirely upon intelligence in applying theinstrument in proving up his choice.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself anymodifications or variations that may appearto those skilled in the artand fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described wherein an electrically operableprobe is intelligently applied to areas of like appearance and ofpredetermined electro-conductive .and non-conductive capability, and oflaminarform structure comprising; a lamina of electrically insulatingmaterial with indicia deposited at one face to be viewed and having amultiplicity of perforations therethrough intellingently related to saidindicia, and a lamina of electrically conductive material laminated tothe opposite face of the first mentioned lamina, the second mentionedlamina being coated with a transparent insulation at the face thereofopposed to the said opposite face of the first mentioned lamina exceptat least at one of said perforations therethrough.

2. A device of the character described wherein an electrically operableprobe is intelligently applied to areas of like appearance'and ofpredetermined electro-conductive and non-conductive capability, and oflaminarform structure comprising; a lamina of paper with indicadeposited at one face to be viewed and having a multiplicity ofperforations therethrough intelligently related to said indicia, and alamina of metallic foil laminated to the opposite face of the firstmentioned lamina, the second mentioned lamina being coated with cleartransparent lacquer at the face thereof opposed to the said oppositeface of the first mentioned lamina except at least at one of saidperforations therethrough.

3. A device of the character described wherein an electrically operableprobe is intelligently applied to areas of like appearance and ofpredetermined electro-conductive and non-conductive capability, and oflaminarform structure comprising; a fiexible lamina of paper withindicia deposited at one face to he viewed and having a multiplicity ofperforations therethrough intelligently related to said indicia, and afiexible lamina of metallic foil fiexibly adhered to the opposite faceof the first mentioned lamina, the second mentioned lamina being coatedwith clear and fiexible transparent lacquer at the face thereof opposedto the said opposite face of the first mentioned lamina except at leastat one of said perforations therethrough.

4. A device of the character described wherein an electrically operableprobe is intelligently applied to areas of like appearance and ofpredetermined electro-conductive and non-conductive capability, and oflaminarform structure comprising; like opposite laminae of electricallyinsulating material with indicia deposited at oppositely disposed facesto be viewed and each having a multiplicity of perforations therethroughintelligently related to said indicia, and an intermediate lamina ofelectrically conducted material laminated to the opposed faces of thefirst mentioned laminae, the opposite faces of the second mentionedlamina being coated with a transparent insulation in the areas of saidperforations respectively except at least at one of said perforationsthrough each of said first mentioned laminae.

5. A device of the character described wherein an electrically operableprobe is intelligently applied to areas of like appearance and ofpredetermined electro-conductive and non-conductive capability, and oflaminarform structure comprising; like opposite laminae of paper withindicia deposited at oppositely disposed faces to be viewed and eachhaving a multiplicity of perforations therethrough intelligently relatedto said indicia, and an intermediate lamina of metallic foil laminatedto the opposed faces of the first mentioned laminae, the opposite facesof the second mentioned lamina being coated with clear transparentlacquer in the areas of said perforations respectively except at leastat one of said perforations through each of said first mentionedlaminae.

6. A device of the character described wherein an electrically operableprobe is intelligently applied to areas of like appearance and ofpredetermined electro-conductive and non-conductive capability, and oflaminarform structure comprising; like opposite fiexible laminae ofpaper with indicia deposited at oppositely disposed faces to be viewedand each having a multiplicity of perforations therethrough ntelligentlyrelated to said indicia, and a flexible intermediate lamina of metallicfoil flexibly adhered to the opposed faces of the first mentionedlaminae, the opposite faces of the second mentioned lamina being coatedwith clear and flexible transparent lacquer in the areas of saidperforations respectively except at least at one of said perforationsthrough each of said first mentioned laminae.

7. A laminarform structure for the purpose and as set forth in claim 4,wherein the lamina are registered and the perforations through the firstmentioned opposite lamina are offset relative to each other, whereby animperforate portion of one lamina affords backing for the intermediatelamina at the perforations through the other lamina.

8. A laminarform structure for the purpose and as set forth in claim 5,wherein the lamina are registered and the perforations through the firstmentioned opposite lamina are offset relative to each other, whereby animperforate portion of one lamina affords backing for the intermediatelamina at the perforations through the other lamina.

9. A laminarform structure for the purpose and as set forth in claim 6,wherein the lamina are registered and the perforations through the rstmentioned opposite lamina are offset relative to each other, whereby animperforate portion of one lamina affords backing for the intermediatelamina at the perforations through the other lamina.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1951 Fleischer35-9 11/1952 Adams 35-9 Bringman 35-9 Bringman 35-9 Schoning 35-9Wellington et al 35-9 Thelen 35-9 Smith 35-9 Tonker et a1 35-9 EUGENE R.CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner'. 2 724 910 11/1955 Kelly 35 9 10 s. M.BENDER, SSSHIZ Examiner.

1. A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED WHEREIN AN ELECTRICALLY OPERABLEPROBE IS INTELLIGENTLY APPLIED TO AREAS OF LIKE APPEARANCE AND OFPREDETERMINED ELECTRO-CONDUCTIVE AND NON-CONDUCTIVE CAPABILITY, AND OFLAMINARFORM STRUCTURE COMPRISING; A LAMINA OF ELECTRICALLY INSULATINGMATERIAL WITH INDICIA DEPOSITED AT ONE FACE TO BE VIEWED AND HAVING AMULTIPLICITY OF PERFORATIONS THERETHROUGH INTELLINGENTLY RELATED TO SAIDINDICIA, AND A LAMINA OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL LAMINATED TOTHE OPPOSITE FACE OF THE FIRST MENTIONED LAMINA, THE SECOND MENTIONEDLAMINA BEING COATED WITH A TRANSPARENT INSULATION AT THE FACE THEREOFOPPOSED TO THE SAID OPPOSITE FACE OF THE FIRST MENTIONED LAMINA EXCEPTAT LEAST AT ONE OF SAID PERFORATIONS THERETHROUGH.